If you own or manage a warehouse or commercial facility, you are all too aware that bugs can become a problem. When cockroaches, flies, rodents, and other pests get in, they can cause contamination to occur. But, you probably don't think of termites when you think of protecting the inside of your facility. After reading this, you may change your mind.
Termites are not an insect connected with the spread of harmful bacteria, nor are they a vector for human-spread pathogens. They are known as a wood-destroying organism that causes property damage--and for good reason. Termites cost U.S. property owners over $5 billion every single year. But, what would you say if we told you that they could be a contaminant inside your facility?
Subterranean termites live in the ground and attack structures from the ground up. Most often, they attack outer walls. But, this is not always the case. They are more than capable of chewing their way up into areas that are far beyond your exterior walls.
Subterranean termites in our area can travel as far as the length of a football field to find food. It is not surprising that sometimes they tunnel farther than exterior walls and emerge inside structures. They can come up in crawl spaces or eat their way up through wood floors that have long since been covered by other materials. They can also eat through soft grout where there isn't any wood present.
If subterranean termites have established a colony under a facility, and that colony has been developing for years, termite swarmers may emerge. These swarmers are designed to leave the mature nest and establish new colonies. This can present quite a problem if they emerge inside a structure. They can easily take to the air, mate, and find exposed wood to enter. But the real danger is contamination.
If subterranean termites come up inside a facility and emerge under a pallet containing food, or find themselves in some other sensitive environment, they can become a contaminant. Though they are not linked to illness, they do shed their wings during their mating process, and it is possible for termites to get into food products and die. It is not good to have any insect appear inside any facility. And, since termites are uniquely equipped to tunnel in, it is vital to have a commercial pest plan that takes this threat into consideration.
At Action Pest Control, subterranean termites don't take us by surprise. We are aware of all the many ways these pests can be a threat. If you need complete termite control for your commercial facility, you can trust the pest technicians here at Action Pest Control to keep your business safe.